- Over 200,000 businesses use Microsoft Teams

Microsoft has just introduced a free version of Microsoft Teams, making the app a direct competitor to Slack. Microsoft Teams launched in 2016 with no free tiers, and it was limited to an Office 365 subscription. But, now, over 200,000 businesses use Microsoft Teams. Still, a free version would make the program more accessible to small businesses and freelancers. Luckily, Microsoft agrees.

The new freemium version of Teams will include support for up to 300 people. If you're on the free tier, you'll get unlimited chat messages and search. In fact, you'll get most of the great Teams features, and any limitations you stumble upon will just push you toward an Office 365 subscription. You get 10,000 searchable messages, 10 app integrations, 5GB of file storage, and 1:1 video chats.

You also get integration with desktop versions of Office, as well as the web versions. If you choose to upgrade, you'll get built-in audio and video calling for groups, unlimited app integrations, guest access, and more. If you compare the free version of Microsoft Teams to Slack’s free equivalent, Teams actually looks more enticing - as long as you have 300 people or less in your organisation.

Microsoft Teams’ free version is available now in 40 different languages. Upgrading to an Office 365 subscription starts at $5 a user per month.